FeedingATL: Helping Others in the Greater Atlanta Metropolitan Area

Creating meaningful connections is at the heart of what we do. That mission doesn’t end when we leave the office. Ingrained in our culture is the LivePerson core value to help others. We encourage employees to connect with and contribute to our communities at large, often through the Dream Big Foundation.

Dream Big is the brainchild of LivePerson founder and CEO Rob LoCascio. The nonprofit empowers underserved communities through the incubation of local entrepreneurs, along with food services. One of its first ventures was FeedingNYC, which was established in 2001 to provide thousands of Thanksgiving dinners to families in need. To date, FeedingNYC has delivered more than 35,000 meals across the boroughs.

This year we opened a new office in Atlanta for the Contact At Once! team. They were more than happy to share our community values and launch their own Feeding program. On Saturday, August 6, volunteers met up at the Caring For Others headquarters for the inaugural FeedingATL. They included members of Contact At Once!, their families, and individual Atlantans looking out for others in their community. From 5 a.m. until 5 p.m., they assembled, packed, and delivered more than 2,000 boxes of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, eggs, and other healthy snacks to meet a critical need of the city ranked fourth nationally for the number of families living at or below the poverty line.

More than 48.1 million Americans live in food-insecure households. In the metro-Atlanta area, approximately 755,400 — or one in 7.5 — residents rely on food pantries and meal services for sustenance. This number includes more than 164,000 children and 64,000 seniors in need.

Though the statistics are intimidating, we are far from powerless. “FeedingATL was a great opportunity for the LivePerson family to help in providing 2,000 Atlanta families with a nutritious meal,” says John Hanger, SVP and general manager of Contact At Once! “I thank the Dream Big Foundation and Caring For Others for their leadership and for providing this opportunity to serve.”

Other volunteers agree: “It was a great feeling working with and seeing others come together to serve our neighbors,” attests Alexis Whitman, site director – CAO! managed services. “FeedingATL gave me yet another avenue to make meaningful connections with the greater Atlanta metropolitan area.” Karlene Gordon, HR business partner, adds, “Going to the distribution site during FeedingATL gave me a great perspective on those of us who may have less than and on how much more work that needs to be done.”

The next event will be FeedingNYC and take place Tuesday, November 22, 2016. If you’re in the Big Apple, register here to be a part of a meaningful experience and spread holiday cheer. To donate to the cause, click here.